Commentary: Katherine Morris Deserves Justice, Not Loopholes By- Rev. Marguerite Morris

The views/opinion expressed in this article are those of the writer only and does not represent the views/opinions of Report Annapolis News

"More than a decade ago, my daughter Katherine Morris was found deceased in Anne Arundel County. Painfully, within 48 hours, police closed her case, ruling it a suicide. In 2021, a court ordered “suicide” removed from her record, reclassifying the manner of death as “undetermined.” In 2022, police listed the case as “administratively closed.” In 2024, the Maryland General Assembly passed the Katherine Morris Death Reclassification Act, requiring such cases to be reopened for 20 years.

Yet Anne Arundel County resisted. County Executive Steuart Pittman refused to reopen 

Katherine’s case until legal action by me forced the issue. But sadly, even then, the County 

acted in bad faith. They reopened the case, under a new category called “open/inactive” 

moving to hide it from public view by refusing to list it to their cold case site. Later filing a 

motion to dismiss, calling the case “moot.”

Was that not circumventing the law? In response, an army of thousands took to the airways and on September 13, 2025, Kathy’s profile was added to the cold case listing. 

But wait, wasn’t the status updated from "administratively closed" to "open/inactive."? 

Well call it mother’s intuition, but an examination of the County's "Managing Criminal 

Investigations Index 1626" revealed that the County had simply renamed “Inactive”, 

“Open/inactive.”

INACTIVE - SUSPENDED: When all investigative leads have been exhausted and the case is no longer being actively investigated..” Effective 1/04/2022

OPEN/INACTIVE: When all investigative leads have been exhausted and the case is 

no longer being actively investigated..” Effective 8/6/2025

But why? Was this to allow the County to say her case is “technically open,” while avoiding 

the public accountability that comes with a cold case listing?

I have spent more than a decade fighting for the truth. We won in court. We secured a law in 

Kathy’s name. Yet Anne Arundel County continues to push back. If they can do this to Kathy, they can do it to any family. I call on every resident of Anne Arundel County to speak out, stand with me, demand a true “open” classification, and 

transparency.

Justice delayed is justice denied. And Katherine Morris deserves justice. 

Related: Family of Woman Found Deceased Near Arundel Mills Mall Issues Renewed Call to County Executive Steuart Pittman for Transparency and Accountability Regarding Case Investigation

Visit www.forkathyssake.com for more information." 

- Rev. Marguerite Morris

The views/opinion expressed in this article are those of the writer only and does not represent the views/opinions of Report Annapolis  News. 

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